Tenants concerned over Berkshire Village Redevelopment

Berkshire Village residents are concerned they'll lose their homes after public meeting with developer. Lauren Stallone reports.

Residents in a south London neighbourhood are concerned after learning more details about a redevelopment plan by Sifton Properties that could reshape Berkshire Village.

“I asked if they were tearing down my home,” said Alex Verrette. “They said no but their eyes said yes.”

Verrette has lived in the area for close to six years.

“I was given a letter and two representatives at my door,” said Verrette. “They were telling me there were redevelopments happening within the area but wouldn’t give me any sort of information on what those developments were.”

He said he first got the idea his neighborhood was changing six months ago.

“On Google Street maps my house was blurred out completely,” said Verrette. “They were removing trees within the area.”

Sifton held a meeting at the Berkshire Club Hall Wednesday evening.

CTV News was denied entry into the meeting and when asked for an interview, Sifton representatives declined.

Verrette was inside the meeting and told CTV News Sifton announced a site demolition, slated to begin in spring of next year.

“There are approximately five strips of townhouses that are going to be removed,” said Verrette. “There’s going to be a single apartment building where I am located now, one across from me and then five in the back area where that field is.”

Verrette said the developer could not guarantee each resident would have a new home following the demolition.

“They are basically trying to justify that these 40 houses and families that they are destroying are going to be justified by housing that many more people will be able to move into,” said Verrette. “Despite it being much higher in rent.”

Other residents told CTV News they were turned away at the door by Sifton representatives saying the room was at capacity.

Verrette said tenants aren’t on board with the changes, but he doesn’t believe their concerns will make a difference.